10 things to know about the book, "The Blizzard of '78"

Tuesday

Feb 6, 2018 at 4:21 PM

In his book, "The Blizzard of '78," author Michael Tougias takes you on a journey through the storm of the century.

Wendall Waters wwaters@wickedlocal.com @ttranscript

In his book, "The Blizzard of '78," author Michael Tougias takes you on a journey through the storm that brought much of Massachusetts and Rhode Island to a stand still, the storm that New Englanders still judge all others by. Filled with photos, taken from the ground and air, the book chronicles the storm from before it even hits to its aftermath. And, Tougias compares the Blizzard of '78 to other storms, most notably the Blizzard of 1888, which claimed more lives.

10 things to know about the book, "The Blizzard of '78"

1. Tougias explains the scope of the devasation: 54 people in Massachusetts and 21 people in Rhode Island died; thousands of residences were damaged and hundreds were destroyed.

2. "New Englanders were ill-prepared for the Blizzard of 1978": From its first line, the book sets the stage for the disaster.

3. "The Storm's Progession & a Commuter's Nightmare: Tougias provides a timeline with examples of how people were affected by winds, snow, and flooding. For instance, he says that during the early afternoon rush of people trying to get home, "Police formed lifelines along streets in Boston's Back Bay Section to aid people across the roadways and to prevent them from being blown into passing cars."

4. The book is illustrated with photos depicting every stage of the storm. One shows a milkman making a delivery while behind him his truck is seen pinned under a fallen tree.

5. Tougias compares the Blizzard of '78 to other storms and to some of the harshest winters on record for New England. He tells the story of two Rowley clammers who, during the winter of 1786-87, hid in a haystack to survive a storm, found themselves being blown out to sea, and eventually paddled to shore on an ice flow.

6. After the storm, the roads had to be cleared, which wasn't easy. Tougias explains how the Army, National Guard and Air Force helped in the effort.

7. Why were coastal communities hit harder than those inland? The book looks at the factors that resulted in coastal erosion and houses being swept into the ocean.

8. The storm fostered a sense of community in many places and brought out the generosity and creativity in people. Tougias shares stories of what people did to get by after the storm when they were stuck at home with few to no supplies.

9. How much snow fell, and how quickly? Tougias has the numbers.

10. People who survived the storm had some surprising things to say. In his chapter, "After the Storm," Tougias says, "People will never forget their adventures during the Blizzard of '78."